Cold Void
by Rurouni Tyriel
Summary: [COMPLETE] During the Clone Wars, three Jedi are stationed on the outer rim territory in the Ilum system. After order 66 takes place, they do their best to survive in a hostile galaxy that has no more use for the Jedi. Spoilers for RotS.
1. I

**Disclaimer:**

I don't own the Star Wars, though I wish I did. George Lucas owns that. I do, however, own Marra, Terke, Ryuin and Attca, who are the main characters of this story.

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**Summary:**

During the Clone Wars, three Jedi are stationed on the outer rim territory in the Ilum system. After order 66 takes place, they do their best to survive in a hostile galaxy that has no more use for the Jedi. Braving hostile elements, dangerous Clone Troopers, and even a Dark Jedi. Takes place just during and after the events of 'Episode III: Revenge of the Sith.' Rated PG-13 just to be on the dark side... er I mean, safe side. Safe side. I'm not evil, really.

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A lot of things could be said about the Ilum system. That it was remote, on the far edge of the Republic's dominion. That it was isolated, and apart from a few skirmishes has been left alone by both the Grand Army of the Republic and the droid legions of the Separatists. It was mysterious, for Jedi would occasionally venture there for unknown purpose. But right now, Padawan Terke had but one thought concerning Ilum.

It was cold.

Colder than any other planet she'd ever visited, far colder than the likes of even the Hoth system, and perhaps a smidgen warmer the icy void of space itself. Even now, covered in layer upon layer of heavy cotton robes, she swore she would freeze if ever she happened to stop moving. So it was she kicked her Tauntaun none-too-gently in the side, urging it on. The great gray snow-lizard was suited better to the climate, far better suited than she, and made good time as it two-stepped it's way across the snow, it's wide spread talons allowing it a far better grip on the surface of the snow as it made it's way towards her destination.

The Temple of the Jedi.

Not exactly THE temple, the one on Coruscant which was the center of the Jedi's power. It was not in the Jedi way to name things, apart from themselves, really. It could also be referred to as the Jedi Temple of Ilum, which was as close to a label as ever. It was a secret temple, guarded by the ice, hidden by the snow. Indeed, had Padawan Terke not known what she was looking for, she might have walked past the mountain and completely missed the entrance, hidden amidst a sliver of crystals and by a blinding wall of snow that seemed the perpetual weather here on Ilum. The doorway was a rough four meters high, far larger than would be necessary for the unusual short Padawan, and two meters wide. Companions, usually a master and apprentice, could walk side by side into the temple with ease.

Terke Riith, Jedi Padawan, still learning the ways of the Force and the world in general, rode her Tauntaun into the opening cavern of the temple, ducking her head slightly to avoid the ceiling. Short though she was, her Tauntaun was not, and she had to coax it to lower it's on head lest it slam into the doorway. A short round of coughing greeted her, as she glanced over to the side and found one of her fellow Jedi.

Ryuin, human by birth and Jedi by trade, had only recently come into the position of full Jedi Knight, his master having perished during the Battle of Kuthu'lu'lu. He was still young by human standards, his hair was light brown cut short against his head and trimmed down into a short van dyke style of beard. His eyes were an unremarkable hazel. Normally he was in the very peak of physical condition, an arena at which he excelled, for few were his match with a lightsaber. Upon coming to Ilum, however, he'd caught a terrible illness that no medicine seemed to be able to completely shake.

"Greetings," he said, muffling another cough in the sleeve of his own robe, shivering miserably in front of a fire as Terke made her way inside and dismounted from her Tauntaun, leaping down gracefully onto the ground. "What word from the main forces?"

"Out of the ordinary, nothing is. Received word, we have, from the Jedi Council. Master Windu reports that Count Dooku is dead," she intoned, her voice oddly musical coming from the folds of her hood. "Several days old, however, the information likely is."

"Oh? Wow... poor fellow. Be he at peace with the Force," intoned Ryuin without much sincerity, making the appropriate sign of 'peace' with his hand. She followed suit, shrugging off her hood in the process and allowing a casual viewer a better look at just who and what she was.

Terke Riith was three feet tall, unusually so for one of her species, green skinned and partially reptilian, with pointed ears that swept back onto either side of her head and short claws on her three-digit hands and feet. Her hair was a thick black, cut short in the manner of Padawans, with a short braided length thrown over her shoulder. Underneath her extra layers of robes, which she shrugged off inside of the warmer cavern (Ryuin kept it continually heated while she was away) she was dressed in the simple white robes of the Jedi, though no lightsaber was belted at her side. She had a decided calm, quiet aura about her. She was the only other of her kind among the Jedi. The other was the widely known and respected Master Yoda.

The soft fall of footsteps alerted the two Jedi to the arrival of the third member of their party, Jedi Master Marra Henis. A purple-skinned, limber twi'lek still in her prime, Master Marra was a renowned Jedi Master, known and spoken of even among the Order as one of their most gifted, imaginative students. She had even been offered a seat on the council, or so it was said (one of the youngest since Mace Windu had been made a member), and turned it down. She was Padawan Terke's teacher and good friend. The robes of the Jedi wrapped themselves around her body like a second skin, and she moved completely at ease with all things around her, as if everything was her ally. A lightsaber, seemingly too well-cared for to be a weapon, rested on her hip.

As always, whenever Terke saw her master Marra, she smiled, unable to find words.

"Everything went well?" asked Marra, making her way from her place deeper in the temple to join her two companions. The temple itself was suited for ceremony, but the outermost cavern was rough and suited their needs for their prolonged stay. It was where they slept and kept company with one another.

"Fine, everything is, Master Marra," replied Padawan Terke without hesitation. "The Council reports..."

The beautiful twi'lek gently held up a hand, smiling. "I heard, thank you... our orders are the same?"

The green-skinned Padawan nodded.

"Stay here, guard the temple, try not to get killed by more of Dooku's droids," grumbled Ryuin from off to the side, launching into a fresh bout of coughing. Normally a fairly decent fellow to get along with, losing his master and having been ill for so many days had been wearing on his nerves. Seeing the looks the two Jedi women were giving him, however, he immediately apologized as best he was able between fits of coughing. "Sorry... not in the best of mood these days."

"Given your condition, understandable, it is," remarked Terke. "The tea I suggested you try... work, it did not?"

Ryuin cast her a baleful glance, his expression speaking volumes. _If it had worked, I wouldn't still be coughing, would I? _he said with his eyes. Again he coughed, violently this time. Thankfully, however, he managed to draw in a breath after that, and give a sigh of relief. "I'm fine, really... I'll be better once we're called back to Coruscant and we can get out of this dreadful weather."

"At least, cold-blooded, you are not!" huffed Terke. "Murder out there, it is for me."

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The orders were almost exactly as Jedi Knight Ryuin described them.

Maintain a lookout over the temple on Ilum, keep watch for signs of danger, await there for further orders. Guard the temple at all costs.

Why this temple was so precious was a mystery to many, including many of the Clone Troopers stationed in the valley to the east. Sent by the Supreme Chancellor to assist the Jedi, he had acquiesced to their request to keep the Temple's location a secret, and were keeping a distance away. To further confuse the troopers, none of the three Jedi made the same trip to and from the armed campsite, and none of them rode towards or away from the camp the same direction. It was a bit of a hassle, but it was worth it. If the enemies of the Jedi ever discovered the temple, it would be in danger. And in a sense, so would the Jedi. Because of what was housed below them.

Below the Temple proper was a series of caverns and tunnels that stretched deeper into the earth. And scattered amongst these tunnels were crystals. Crystals of a unique make-up that they, and only they, could be used in the creation of a Jedi lightsaber. All the other parts, power pack, casing, and the like, could be found anywhere on Coruscant or the galaxy. But the crystals, here, were the source of the Jedi's lightsabers.

_The Crystal is the Heart of the Blade. The Heart is the Crystal of the Jedi. The Jedi is the Crystal of the Force. The Force is the Blade of the Heart. All are intertwined. The Crystal. The Blade. The Jedi. You are One_.

Every single Jedi had heard these words before, repeated by their master, as they had made for themselves their lightsaber. Each and every Jedi handmade their own. It was an extension of them, not simply a weapon. A lightsaber and a fresh changes of clothes were the most possessions a Jedi usually ever owned. Thus, the weapon was a part of them. A part of their soul.

Six years ago, Jedi Knight Ryuin had spoken those words, made his blade. A beam of gold had illuminated the hallway as he'd activated it. Now, today, as part of their duties on Ilum, Master Marra was repeating the words for her Padawan as she effortlessly put together her own lightsaber, constructing it from the pieces placed before her, manipulating them with the power of her mind. And now, a bright amethyst stroke of energy split the air, illuminating a shared smile on Master and Padawan's face.

"Padawan Terke Riith, your training is complete. I have nothing more to teach you. When we return to Coruscant, I will bid the Council to place you through the trials... and you will become a Jedi Knight," said Master Marra. And though she'd spoken the words many times before to many apprentices, this time they seemed touched with a sense of... compassion. She saw a lot of herself in Terke Riith. They were like sisters, almost. They'd grown very close in their time as Master and Apprentice.

Not all had been so lucky in this time of war.

The Temple of Ilum itself was proof of that. Only a year or two ago it had been attacked by spider-droids bent on destroying it with explosives. Master Luminara and her apprentice Bariss Offee had managed to fend them off, but it had nearly cost them their lives. They had been the fortunate ones. Many others had not been. Friends, apprentices, masters, all and more had been lost, united eternally with the Force. Jedi taught that was the way of things, that death was not the end.

But it could still sometimes be hard.

Brushing aside such unpleasantly dark thoughts, Master Marra placed a comforting hand on her apprentice's shoulder, again offering her congratulations on completing her training. As she did, however, she felt... something odd. A rippled in the Force. A disturbance. Her eyes opened in surprise, and she glanced at her former apprentice in surprise. A similar look of astonishment was etched across the reptilian green flesh of Terke Riith. She'd felt it too.

It was as if...

"Hey!" came a voice from high above. "You two may want to get up here, we got some company!"

Swiftly to the two Jedi ladies grabbed their lightsabers and thrust them into their belts as they ascended the corridors and passageways to the top of the Temple, where Ryuin would be found.

"I have a bad feeling about this," intoned Terke as they ascended the stairs.

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They found Ryuin by the entrance to the temple, out of sight behind one of the heavy support columns. His lightsaber was out, and both of them raised they eyebrows at the sight of that. As good a fighter was, Ryuin never took out his blade unless he intended to use it. Trouble was indeed upon them. But what sort of trouble could visit them on remote, isolated Ilum?

"What's wrong?" asked Master Marra, determined not to rush into things blindly.

Ryuin replied with a jerk of his head towards the entrance. "Take a look for yourself, Master."

Puzzled by his odd reply, she did indeed take a look outside, cautiously peering around the side of the entrance.

To her surprise, not combat droids, not Separatist troopers, not even a rampaging herd of Tauntauns. It was a division of Clone Troopers. Their leader, separated by the others only by a distinct yellow crest on his helmet, was paving the way through the snow as he guided the others, apparently straight towards the temple. Now that was odd.

"How did they find the Temple?" she asked.

Neither of her companions had any answer. But neither liked it. Terke was wringing her hands in confusion and perhaps a little fear. Ryuin stifled another cough behind his hand, his other still clutching his lightsaber, ready to use it the instant it was required.

"Master Jedi!" came the call of the Clone Trooper. Ryuin and Terke shivered, and not entirely because of the cold. Like most Jedi, it never sit comfortable with them the origins of the Clone Troopers. Clones. All the same being, made again and again like assembly line droids. All bearing the same face under those helmets. And all possessing the exact same voice. You could make friends with one, have him die in battle, and not realize it talking to another until they told you.

Eerie.

"Master Jedi!"

"Perhaps... important news, it is," suggested Terke tentatively.

"Still doesn't explain how they found the temple," murmured Ryuin, half to himself.

Master Marra nodded to herself, apparently thinking the same thing. Her purple tendrils bobbed behind her head as she nodded in agreement with Ryuin. But she had a decision to make. The troopers already knew where the Temple was, that was clear enough. What did they gain by skulking about in the darkness like common bounty hunters? Slowly, cautiously, she stepped into the entrance and into full view. Her bright purple skin could hardly be missed in the otherwise pure white of the surrounding landscape. The Clone Troopers spotted her instantly.

"Jedi Master Henis?" asked the Clone Commander, perhaps unable to see with snow blocking his visor.

"It is I... what brings you here, Commander?" she replied as lightly as possible.

"Are the other Jedi with you? Are they all here?" he asked insistently.

"Yes, yes everyone is here. What is wrong?" persisted Marra, unsure of where this was going.

To her further surprise, the Commander suddenly stopped, and she could sense a smile forming behind his helmet. "Nothing. Everything's in order," he told her. Then, suddenly, turned back to his troops. "Execute Order 66," he said in crisp, commanding tones.

"Yes sir," they replied as one, with the same voice.

"Commander?" asked Marra, now suddenly feeling much worse, not better. What in the name of the Force was going on?

Her answer was given to her as one of the Clone Troopers tossed a heavy energy rifle to the commander, who effortlessly grabbed it out of the air, spun around, and immediately opened fire... on Jedi Master Marra Henis herself. Totally caught off guard, the Jedi Master would've been dead in mere moments from the super hot laser blasts...

... that is, of course, if a bright blade of gold hadn't suddenly intercepted them, blocking them before they could reach their target and knocking them off harmlessly into the snow.

"Go!" shouted Ryuin, lightsaber upraised as Terke gently grabbed her Master and pulled her out of the line of fire. By now all the troopers were firing. A literal wall of red fire was raining down on Ryuin. Thousand of non-Jedi, and even a few skilled Jedi Knights, might've been slain by such a barrage. But Ryuin was a swordmaster with few equals even in the Jedi Order, blocking and parrying the deadly blasts, sending them flying off in different directions. Beyond this, he could sense his actions had bought him some time, as well as time for his companions. A blade of bright emerald and another of glowing amethyst shined on both sides of him as they joined the fray as well, deflecting the blasts of the Clone Troopers. Marra was even able to deflect a few right back at their attackers.

For a brief moment, it seemed that perhaps being vastly outnumbered, the Jedi might be able to best their attackers and win the day.

That hope quickly faded and died as more of the Troopers arrived. Vast numbers that three Jedi, however good, could not defeat. Worse, a special division had arrived high up on the ridge. Marra spotted them before either of her companions, noticed the configurations of the weapons they were preparing. Missiles. Bad news. Jedi lightsabers could deflect energy attacks like laser bolts commonly fired by weaponry in the galaxy, but against a missile, they were close to worthless.

"Back! Back to the Temple!" she ordered, falling back in precision with the other two. She and Terke had been a team for many years, one carrying on where the other could not, one blade blocking an opening the other left. And while he had not worked alongside these two Jedi before in the heat of combat, Ryuin was a trained Jedi Knight and a skilled swordsman, and he easily fit himself into their routine. Between the three blades, gold, amethyst, and emerald, they created all but an impenetrable prismatic barrier as they fell back to the Temple.

"Deeper into the Temple!" ordered Marra. "Hurry!"

A command given not a moment too soon, for as soon as the Jedi started to run one of the missiles struck the support columns by the entrance. The explosion made the floor under them shake. The Temple's structure, already unstable from the last series of explosions that had rocked it, was precariously close to collapse. To emphasize the point, the ground was already starting to break up into fissures. With a loud cry of protest, their Taumtaum gave a great roar as it vanished into one of these cracks. There was no way they could save the beast. They would be lucky if they could save themselves.

Nimbly, the three Jedi leapt up and over the crevices and towards the deeper caverns, hoping they would perhaps be more stable. More explosions followed behind them. The Troopers were determined to bury them alive, it seemed. Crude, but effective, especially against Jedi. They'd be preparing for this. But why? Why betray the Jedi and the Republic? Or was there the possibility, remote though it may be, that the Republic was behind the attack?

Wasting no time, the Jedi leapt down into the lower caverns of the temple.

Ryuin stopped on a nearby outcropping for a moment to catch his breath, and launch into a fresh round of coughing. He'd managed to keep it under control during the fight but the exertion was starting to do him in. He had to stop and catch his breath...

... a fresh shudder rang throughout the temple, and he glanced up in alarm, the Force warning him of danger. A rocky column above them had given way and was now hurtling down atop of him. He threw up his hands to ward off danger, knowing in truth he was about to be crushed...

... but miraculously, he wasn't. The falling rock simply... stopped... just above his head.

He glanced back over his shoulder, seeing Master Marra, palm outstretched, fingers splayed, and knew instinctively she had been the one who had stopped the rocks from falling.

He couldn't quite manage a "thank you" through his coughs, but he nodded his head, and she could sense his gratitude flowing along the lines of the Force. With a flick of her wrist, a casual gesture, she sent all four hundred pounds of stone flying through the air to slam against the far wall, furthest from the three Jedi, and they took off. Even Ryuin managed to continue a dead run despite his cough, figuring better to catch his breath after he wasn't in danger of losing his life.

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Outside the Temple, the entrance and much of the structure had been reduced to rubble by Clone Troopers attacks, blasting it away with lasers, bombarding it with missiles. A rock slide had aided them considerably in the endeavor, and now a mountain of snow had collapsed the only known entrance. Clone Commander reported in to his superior, Clone Lieutenant, characterized by a distinct red on his helmet.

"Sir, we got them. The Jedi were inside and the Temple is no more."

"I've heard it before. Search the rubble. Show me bodies, Commander," ordered the Lieutenant.

"Yes sir," replied the commander, without hesitation, snapping out orders to his underlings. "You men, start digging around the exterior..."

The Clone Lieutenant brought up his binoculars to his face, training them to the maximum detail, scanning the wreckage of the Jedi Temple. As his Commander had said, it was unlikely anything could have survived. But he had fought alongside Jedi for many years during the Clone Wars. He knew what they were capable of. Bodies, they were dead. No bodies, they could still be alive.

And his orders were very specific.

Order 66. Exterminate any and all Jedi in the immediate vicinity.

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Finally, the rumblings of the Temple had ceased. It was indeed destroyed, the upper levels were a mess, but the lower levels, the caverns of the crystals and the like, were relatively intact. This was where the three Jedi found themselves.

They would've preferred to keep going, all of them, but Ryuin had collapsed, unable to proceed, and they were forced to admit this was as safe a place as they could likely rest for the moment. Terke snapped a plasma pack they kept on hand, allowing light to illuminate the cavern and heat to fill it. All three Jedi were shivering. Mostly from the cold, but from something else as well.

"By the Force," swore Terke. "What happened to our troops? Why did they suddenly turn traitor?"

"If they did turn traitor," murmured Ryuin, between coughs. Reluctantly he accepted a waterskin from Terke, sucking greedily on the water, which seemed to calm him a little. His coughs came less frequently, and he was able to draw breath more easily.

"The Council has been worried recently by the growing power of the Supreme Chancellor," remarked Marra thoughtfully. "But to go this far..."

"Impossible. The Republic would never betray the Jedi. We have protected them for millennia," said Terke Riith, pulling herself up to her full three feet in righteous indignation. She was the youngest of the three by few years, but by far the most inexperienced. Ilum had been one of her first missions outside of the safety of the Temple on Coruscant. She was from the old belief of Jedi, that they were a force for good, that they protected the Republic, that the Republic itself was good and helpful to all those it served.

Ryuin and Marra were slightly older, far more experienced with the full level of corruption that filled not only the Galaxy, but also the Republic itself. And most especially, the Supreme Chancellor, who had been in office far longer than should have been possible by clever manipulation of the Senate's fear of the Separatists and the growing war effort.

None of this explained anything. None of the three Jedi on Ilum knew they were simply pieces being moved in a larger game of chess, none of them realized their lives had suddenly become insignificant, that whatever they did no longer had any consequence in the Galaxy.

But they did realize one thing.

They were going to survive, no matter what it took.

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**Author's Notes:**

Seems I caught the Star Wars bug going around. Obviously a lot of influences from the six movies, particularly Episode III and the epic cartoon mini-series Clone Wars. Yoda's race as of yet remaining unnamed, I'll leave it the same for Terke. Jedi Master Marra Henis, and Padawan Terke Riith are based off of good friends of mine (I'll tell you at the end of the story) and Jedi Knight Ryuin, I shamefully admit is a Mary-Sue (or Marty-Sue, or whatever the masculine version of that is). It's me. Then again, who hasn't wished they were a Jedi (or more frequently, a Sith) at some point in their life? The Kuthu'lu'lu system is also entirely made up, though Ilum is quite real (in the sense that it exists in the Star Wars galaxy, so far far away that it is). The infamous order 66 comes from Episode III, of course, where upon all Jedi are to be betrayed by their Clone Troopers and slain. Explaining, of course, how so many very powerful individuals could have all been destroyed by the Empire. To my mind, however, at least some Jedi should've had a better chance of surviving, and that was the original thought that brought about this story. Whether or not the three Jedi herein survive I won't say, you'll simply have to find out for yourself.


	2. II

Emperor Sidious was a very, very happy man right now. Finally he had rid himself of the guise of sniveling Palpatine, finally he had rid himself of the troublesome title of Supreme Chancellor and taken his rightful role as Emperor. He ruled the entire galaxy. His war, rightfully his, for he had manipulated it from both sides, was almost over. The Jedi were all but eradicated. And his new apprentice was proving to be a most useful in his bid for galactic domination.

Things could not be better.

Still, loose ends were starting to appear in the tapestry laid out before him. Flaws, holes, problems. Things that he had not counted on. Things he could not control. But he would have to tie up the loose ends before they unraveled his entire tapestry. The loose ends such as the surviving Jedi Masters Yoda and Obi-Wan... they would deal with themselves. Obi-Wan would go after his apprentice and die horribly. Yoda would come to him, and suffer a similar fate. All too easy.

But there was another loose thread on Ilum as well. He could sense it. The Force was disturbed there, rippling like a pool of water that a stone had been thrown into. And that ripple, if not dealt with, might spread.

He already had a number of difficulties he needed to deal with on Coruscant, including waiting for Yoda as a trap. And Darth Vader was already on Mustafar cleaning up some necessary details. So it was that Emperor Sidious had been forced to call in another of his underlings for this job. Underlings he had aplenty, it seemed. Despite the treacherous nature of the Sith (he never made any secret of that, just sometimes that he was a Sith Lord) always others would flock to him, drawn by his power. Such power could even overwhelm their common sense. Many of the former Separatist leaders had been like that. Stupid, power hungry, and now very dead.

The young lady before him was nothing like them.

She was power hungry, but she was smart about who she pledged her alliances too. She took every situation and carefully weighed her options before making a decision. She always found a way to come out on top. In a way, she reminded Palpatine of himself when he'd been very young.

Physically, they looked nothing alike, even given their different genders. He was ancient, and after Windu's last attack, deformed and physically hideous, his inner evil now visible to all who had the brains to see it. She was rather pretty, in a rough, muscular sort of way. The young woman was in her early thirties, having just become a Jedi Knight herself, though she'd been banished from the order for her overly aggressive measures during the Clone Wars, including slaying helpless captives and being needlessly brutal to enemies.

This was, of course, when Sidious had found her.

Five foot four, very slender, somewhat shapely and pleasing to the eye, but a body covered in hard muscles from years of fighting and training. Her hair was a shoulder-length light auburn, and her eyes were a pleasant forest green. A pleasing smile graced her lips.

All in all, one would hardly think her capable of any sort of malicious thought, which was precisely what she wanted them to think. Sidious, fortunately, knew better.

"So what's the job?" she asked, after stepping briskly into his inner chambers. Both of the red clad guards made no comment. They were used to Sidious summoning this girl.

"Job? It is a mission, girl..."

"Don't call me girl. I'm an adult already," she huffed back at him.

"I will address you as I see fit," he replied, sinking down into his throne. "You are not yet Sith, not yet my apprentice, not yet worthy of being addressed respectfully. Continue to serve me, and some day you earn that. But today is not that day, girl."

She bit back a sharp retort, her eyes flashing like fire. "Yes, Emperor," she said in a sweet, respectful tone.

"Three Jedi are unaccounted for on the far planet of Ilum. I will provide you with coordinates. Find them all, and kill them. Move in secret... the Clone Troopers there are incompetent but will be very efficient if they happen to find you... former Jedi."

Her lip curled up in a sneer. "Jedi."

"These may well be the last three in the known Galaxy," lied the Emperor smoothly.

Instantly her sneer vanished, replaced with a grin. "Well then, better finish uprooting the weeds, shouldn't I?" she asked rhetorically, giving a mock bow and turning on her heel to skip out of the chamber, lightsaber banging at her side as she ran. A gift from Sidious, it was also something of a test. All her life, Attca Namon had found a power in the Dark Side. And she'd enjoyed it. The feeling of it. So she'd gotten kicked out of the Jedi Order had had to find a new teacher. The Sith was the answer. If she proved herself, she'd be made a Sith Lord as well.

She would prove herself. She was good.

Just not very nice.

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"No mistaking it," remarked Ryuin, slipping the device back into his robes. "Jedi transmission, keyed to our communicators. Just one order."

"Which is?"

"Return to the Temple."

"Then we have to leave this place as quickly as possible. There may be more fighting on Coruscant," said Terke. "The Temple may be under attack by the Separatists."

"Or the Clone Troopers," replied Ryuin.

"Whoever it is," she replied. "Do them no good, we do here. To Coruscant we must go."

"Now all we need is an exit," remarked Ryuin darkly, thinking. Jedi Knight that he may have been, he was inexperienced if well trained. He could not think of a way out. He idly wondered if his Master would have had the same problem if he had been here right now.

Jedi Masters did not come into their position simply by a measure of how old they were. Master Marra was a prime example of this, still in the youthful age of her species. Master Windu was another good example, having been the youngest Jedi to ever sit upon the Jedi Council. Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker was already well on his way to becoming a master himself, if ever he could temper his ambitions and arrogance.

No, a Jedi became a Master through wisdom.

Ignoring the musings of her former apprentice Terke Riith, ignoring the hacking cough of their colleague, Ryuin, Marra Henis rested herself comfortably on the cold hard floor; legs crossed beneath her hands, arms resting on her knees, and allowed herself to meditate. Her eyes drifted closed, her breathing slowed, and she allowed her mind to leave the confines of her body, stretching out to become one with the Force, one with the energy field that permeated all living things and bound the Galaxy together.

After a short while, she knew what she needed to know, and she allowed her mind to drift back down into her head, opening her eyes again. Sensing something had changed, eyes of both of the Jedi were upon her instantly.

"We go this way," she said, standing, brushing off her robes and taking lead. She activated her lightsaber, a bright emerald blade, and held it high overhead like a torch to illuminate her way as she made her way unerringly amongst the rubble and towards the deeper caverns of the temple. The emerald glow sparkled off of the countless, nearly priceless Jedi jewels imbedded into the caverns walls, making the pathway sparkle. Ryuin and Terke, both with lightsabers drawn and activated, followed after her.

"How do you know this is the right way out?" asked Ryuin, trailing along behind the other two.

"Always knows what she's doing, Master Marra does," remarked Terke without hesitation. Her faith in her master was unshakable, even in light of recent events.

The violet-skinned twi'lek turned a rather interesting shade ofdarker purpleby her former Padawan's convicted statement, but thankfully the glow of the lightsabers and the crystals made it impossible to tell. "The Force is guiding us," she said, deciding to be diplomatic with the 'us' instead of 'me.' "We are following it deeper into the tunnels below the temple. From there, we should find a way out."

She did not add this was wishful thinking at best, for none of the Jedi in many millennia had ventured lowered than the upper caverns of the Jedi. They could have stretched as deep underground as a mile, or perhaps more. None could say what was down there, none of the records in the Archives held any information, and none had been interested enough or daring enough to find out.

But now they were being forced to.

A shift up ahead brought them all instantly to a stop, bodies tense, ready to move the instant it proved to be a cave in.

If anything, it proved to be worse. There was a shifting of the rocks atop of them, and they could hear voices very clearly. The metal tip of a shovel came into view high above them, sending dust and snow down into the cavern as the Clone Troopers were doing their best to dig them out. All three instantly extinguished their blades of light and slapped themselves hard against the wall, hoping they hadn't been seen.

The dust, however, might prove their undoing. Angrily and almost fearfully, Ryuin slapped his robed sleeve over his mouth, muffling a coming coughing fit that threatened to expose them. Both of his companions glanced at him in alarm, and he too felt he wouldn't be able to muffle it for much longer, but after a long moment, he managed to nod. The fit had passed.

Another iron shovel's head slipped through the crack, however, widening it, and a sliver of light passed over them. More dust and snow slipped down into the cavern. And then a Clone Troopers helmet came into view, and they realized they'd been discovered. Two of them, at least. Possibly more they couldn't see.

Marra reacted swiftly, but instead of drawing her lightsaber, she stretched out her hand to stop her companions and instead reached upon a more subtle trick the Jedi taught.

"There is no one down here, Commander," she stated, her voice low and commanding.

"There is no one down here," repeated the Clone Trooper. His companion nodded.

"You're going to try and search on the other end of the Temple," she stated again, her voice the same commanding tones.

"We're going to try and search on the other end of the Temple," repeated the Clone Trooper.

The two Jedi beside Marra breathed a sigh of relief. Satisfied, she could not resist adding "And cover this hole while you're at it," playfully.

"And cover this hole while we're at it," they spoke in monotone, sliding a heavy stone rock over the hole to cover it again. Again darkness surrounded the three Jedi. And they knew they were still in danger, those Clone Troopers wouldn't be fooled for long. But it was a start. Igniting their sabers and using them as light, they plunged deeper into the temple. Deeper into the very core of Ilum, away from danger...

... and into the cold, dark unknown.

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All things considered, she made good time.

A sleek, black little ship, barely a dot against the landscape, had landed, avoiding detection by the Clone Troopers. Though they served the Empire, order 66 was absolute. No Jedi were exempt from it. And she would technically still be considered one. Leaving the Jedi Order wasn't as cut and dry as she would have liked. They still stuck their noses in her business, still kept her on a short leash. She was going to be glad when they were all dead and she and the Sith were in charge of the Galaxy.

Darth Attca Namon. She rather liked the sound of that.

Emperor Sidious had provided her with her ship, as well as the coordinates for the Jedi Temple on Ilum. She'd dressed accordingly for the weather, a white fur coat over her black skin-tight bodysuit. Her auburn hair flapped lightly in the icy winds as she surveyed the landscape. Sidious had also provided her with rather unique information that would aid her in capturing her foes. Information even the Jedi were not aware of.

Knowledge truly was power.

_Ah_, she thought, _there it is_.

Trudging through the snow was unpleasant, she was used to warmer planets, but it was well worth it. She was making her way to a cave on the opposite side of the mountain that housed the Jedi Temple. Safely hidden from view, hidden even from the Jedi (proof, yet again, of their narrow-minded arrogance) it was easily accessible to those who hade made it centuries ago.

Attca Namon stepped inside, and instantly the lost technology lit up, illuminating the room. Sigils and runes of bright silver-blue were marked along the walls. Marks written in the ancient, lost language of the Sith. A language she too would someday know.

The Jedi would come this way. With the temple collapsed and clone troopers on the outside tunneling in, this was their only way out. Dark Jedi Attca Namon sat down on the ground, lightsaber cradled lovingly in her lap. Soon it would spill the self-righteous, corrupt blood of the Jedi.

She would wait for them.

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How long passed in those caverns beneath the Jedi Temple could not be counted. With no sky and no sun, hours and minutes blended together in the darkness as the three Jedi made their way deeper into the complex, guided by Master Marra Henis and her through her the will of the Force. Finally, however, deep in the underground caverns and thoroughly lost, they were forced to come to a rest. Ryuin was still ill, and Terke's legs were tired from trying to keep up with her long-legged companions. So they set up a quick camp for the night, agreeing to sleep, eat, and press on once everyone was rested. They would sleep in shifts.

Jedi Knight Ryuin's shift passed with little trouble and rather uneventfully. Coughing fitfully, the Jedi slipped the glasses from his nose and lay down on the cold, hard ground to try and fall asleep while Terke took over.

She shivered in the dark, in the cold. She was bundled up in as many layers as she could, considering she'd had to drop behind a few things to move more quickly, but still, she was frightened. Troopers were after them, they were alone and cut off from the outside world. The Jedi Council couldn't reach them. No one was coming to save them. And for the first time, she wasn't sure they could get out of this in one peace. She was very scared.

"Terke?"

Terke's head snapped up in an instant, but to her vast relief it was only Marra. The Jedi Master had awoken and padded over towards her in near silence. She hadn't heard her until she'd been almost right on top of her.

"Master... ahh... scared me, you did... ahhh..." she whispered, breathing heavily. "Miss your shift, did I?"

The purple-skinned twi'lek smiled gently, "No, I could not sleep... your shift is not yet over, but if you wish I will watch for you. I am rested." She sat down beside Terke, and the two Jedi drew comfort from one another's presence. They could scarcely see one another in the dark hallways, but they could feel each other's warmth and hear the beat of each other's hearts. Here, in the midst of darkness and chaos, they had found a small measure of peace and comfort.

"Clouded, the Force feels," Terke admitted after a short while of silence in the dark.

Marra nodded. "A dark presence shrouds us. All of Ilum, it seems, is in this dark cloud."

"Be the Sith, could it?"

"Perhaps," replied her Master.

Silence reigned after that. Even Ryuin's coughing had faded away as Jedi Master and Apprentice regarded one another in the darkness. They'd been through so very much together.

But then more sounds were heard from above, interrupting the silence. They glanced at one another. Terke's eyes narrowed darkly.

"Clone Troopers... hear them, I can," she added, tilting her head. The large, pointed ears on either side of her head swiveled, allowing her the maximum sort of hearing given the distance her and their pursuers. "At least sixteen or so. On foot, they are. And... I believe their commander is with them. His step is heavier, more sure of himself, he is."

"Then we must go. My powers will not work on so many, and not on the likes of their commander. His will is anything but weak," stated Master Marra.

"I'll wake Ryuin."

Master and Apprentice nodded at one another, their minds thinking in almost perfect rhythm, just like their hearts. In seconds, their companion was up and they were on the move, the Clone Troopers closing in on them from one end...

... an unknown darkness welling to meet them the other way.

The proverbial rock and a hard place.

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"Stop. I've got an idea."

The two Jedi women skidded to a dead halt as Ryuin spoke. They'd made their way into a small underground cavern. It sloped upwards, and from this the three of them drew hope that perhaps they were heading back towards the surface. The two Jedi, purple and green-skinned, turned to face their paler companion as he stood against one of the columns supporting the massive rock, panting for breath. He was exhausted. Lack of sleep and his illness were killing him just as well as if the Clones caught him.

"Leave me behind," he said. "I'm only slowing you both down. Get out of here."

Master Marra made her way to Ryuin, placing a hand on his shoulder on a comforting manner. "No," she stated. "We will not abandon you."

He lightly shrugged off her touch. "We don't have any choice."

Terke's ears swiveled, and her eyes grew wide. "Coming, they are."

Ryuin looked up, looked right into the eyes of Marra, hoping to convey just how important his message was. He spoke simply. "Better two of us get out instead of none of us."

A sigh told him it had. "We'll come back for you," she stated, her voice brooking no further argument. Reluctantly, he nodded, then gestured towards the far cavern. The exit. The way out.

Remaining behind, Jedi Knight Ryuin held out his lit lightsaber in one hand, and waited. His other hand came to adjust his glasses.

"Come and get me," he said simply.

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Terke and Marra ran side by side down the final tunnel which they believed would lead them out. The longer-limbed twi'lek had unconsciously slowed her gate while green-scaled padawan had lengthened hers, a common practice the two had employed on countless missions before. Here, in the midst of danger, they were united once again by their common bond.

Whether or not it would be enough for what lay ahead was a question not even the Force could provide an answer to.

They came to a near dead stop, skidding along the floor as suddenly the rough stone walls of the caverns became replaced by smooth, handmade structure, high ceilings and circular columns. It was a manmade structure, like the Temple above had been before it was destroyed. Silver-blue runes of an unknown nature surrounded the walls, glowing, allowing them both a chance to shut off their lightsabers and still be illuminated. Both of them walked forward in marked awe.

"What is this? Part of the temple?" asked Terke, her voice subdued, yet it seemed to echo off the walls.

"A part the Jedi of old must have built," remarked Marra. Despite the danger, her natural curiosity overwhelmed her, and she was examining the walls, trying to decipher the runes. "These are Jedi runes... but I do not recognize the alphabet. Perhaps this temple was lost in a cave-in... that would explain why I saw no mention of it in the archives."

"_There is no mention of the temple, because it is not yours, Jedi filth_..."

A voice rang out, echoing among the walls. Marra and Terke instantly went back to back, lightsabers out and active, searching for their opponent. No such luck. The structure of the walls and empty hallway made it so that sounds echoed. Even Terke's pointed ears could not find their opponent's exact location.

"_This Temple belongs to the righteous power of the Sith, the true masters of the Force. And you, dear Jedi, are trespassing..._"

The attack came from nowhere, so fast and violent it knocked the two Jedi apart. A violent blast of invisible energy, or force, knocking them both ways. Marra managed to halt her impromptu flight before she slammed into a wall, neatly hitting it feet first and leaping off, rolling into a crouch. Terke, with less warning and far less room to maneuver, slammed fully into the far wall, hard enough to knock her unconscious. Her violet lightsaber flickered off.

"Terke!"

Then their attacker became visible, leaping down to land where they had stood moments before. A dark-robed woman with auburn, shoulder-length hair and green eyes that blazed like fire. A smirk played on her lips as she lifted up her own lightsaber, and a crimson blade shot forth. She held it before her, advancing menacingly towards Marra, who grimly awaited her.

"Were I you, Jedi, I would be far more concerned with myself..."

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Clone Troopers poured into the cavern where Jedi Knight Ryuin lay waiting for them. In disciplined fashion they spotted him and instantly filed into two lines, one before the other, the first crouched low. All sixteen of them had their rifles trained on him. The likes of Yoda couldn't have deflected that many shots all at once, and their commander knew it. He stood slightly to one side, arm upraised, ready to give the order.

"Where are the other two?" he asked.

"Ah, so that's why I haven't been blasted to bits then," remarked Ryuin. "You want information."

"Tell us, Jedi. Where are they?"

"Just past me," he replied, raising his lightsaber. Fingers twitched over triggers, but none of the troopers fired. They couldn't, without an order. "Just get past me and you'll catch up to them, I imagine... but that's not going to happen."

"Fi-"

Ryuin lashed out with his lightsaber, but not at the Clone Troopers. Too far away, too many to fight. Instead, he lashed out at a natural rock formation located directly to his side, amplifying the attack with the power of the Force behind his arms. The attack sliced clean through the rock and sent waves of tumbling stone and crystal crashing down into the cavern. The Clone Troopers, caught completely off-guard, were quickly buried in the rubble and crushed, including their commander.

When the smoke and dust cleared, a steady coughing interrupted the deathly silence, as Ryuin shrugged off a heavy rock that had damn near crushed him as well and crawled out of the rubble, limping along down the corridor.

He made a silent note to himself never to try anything that stupid ever again.

"Well, nothing for it now... better try and catch up before they leave me on this rock," he muttered, limping off down the corridor, coughing heavily the whole way. The dust had upset his lungs again, and his illness still hadn't faded.

At least he'd solved one problem today.

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**Author's Notes:**

And now we are introduced to the villain of the story, the wicked Attca Namon. Also a character based on a good friend of mine, who was kind enough to be the bad girl. I tell you who later. What's any good Star Wars story without a Dark Jedi in it? For those confused slightly by the timeframe of the story, allow me to clarify. Certain elements are happening in the Galaxy, but since I am not showing you those elements, they might be referenced by people who are aware of them going to happen, having already happened, or the like. And Ilum itself is a short while behind the rest of the Galaxy, being so remote as it is. So they don't receive news from the rest of the Galaxy until later than usual, and vice versa.

Trecebo: My thoughts exactly. I mean Yoda was able to survive, why not the likes of Shaak Ti or Luminara? Still, their names were not in the book, and we didn't see them specifically die in the movie. So in my mind, they're still alive.

Ray1: Glad someone likes it. Please feel free to enjoy the rest as it develops in my mind and is transformed onto paper and then finally into fanfiction on the net.

DarkKnight92: I know Shaak Ti. She and Luminara are my favorite Jedi Masters from Clone Wars. A pity we did not see more of them in Episode III. Will the Padawan be an OC or modeled in your own image?

Blood-debt: I always did wonder what the male form of Mary-Sue was, much obliged for informing me. Next chapter will be coming shortly.

Ultimate R-Man: Don't we all? I agree, a good moment but a sad moment, with all the Jedi dying. Still, makes sense really. Vader slices up the younglings, the isolated Jedi get done in by the Clone Troopers. Or, in this case, special agents.

Comet-hime: Lots of fun. I do so enjoy working with Terke and Marra, they're such fun Jedi, aren't they? Hope you enjoy the rest of the story as it develops.


	3. III

"Master Marra," remarked Attca, spitting the name like it was a bad taste in her mouth. "So nice to see you. The Force must be very kind to have brought us together again."

"Attca Namon," replied Marra, her emerald blade upraised. "You have changed a great deal since you were last my Padawan..." Her eyes narrowed. "I sense the Dark Side with you."

Attaca's crimson blade flashed back and forth across her face. "Dark..." Swish. "Light..." Swish. "Same Force." Swish. "Jedi are too-closed minded to accept what real power is. I'm not..."

The attack came almost without warning, and green met red as the two lightsabers clashed. Almost instantly the two threw one another off, and the air became alive with the clash-clash of lightsaber against lightsaber. The air hummed with the deadly song of lightsaber combat. Master Marra Henis pushed backwards, knocking aside Attca's blade with her own and thrusting out her hand into the opening. A blast created by the Force knocked her former disciple backwards. She quickly leapt forward, lashing with her blade, hoping to end this conflict quickly.

But Attca was prepared, accepting the Force blast and rolling with it, landing nimbly on her feet. Her own blade met Marra's, and she twisted, twirling like an acrobat, lashing out in an unexpected move towards Marra's exposed backside. The Jedi Master countered but she hadn't expected such a move, and the lightsaber grazed her side, eliciting a painful cry from her. Attca followed up the attack with a vicious kick right to the twi'lek masters jaw, sending her sprawling on the ground, clutching her side. Grimly, she held up her lightsaber to protect herself.

"Weak," spat Attca. "You're a symbol for all the Jedi, my old Master," she stated, her brilliant red lightsaber again flashing back and forth as she advanced upon Marra. "Weak..." Swish. "Pathetic..." Swish. "Just waiting for someone..." Swish. "... to put you out of your misery!"

The blade lashed upwards and down viciously. Marra parried, but her strength was flagging, and they could both feel it. She couldn't hold out much longer against the power of Attca and the Dark Side. Grimly, the dark Jedi pushed down harder with both hands on the blade, her eyes blazing like fire in the crimson light.

But then she stopped, eyes wide. The Force was warning her.

Viciously Attca lashed out, kicking her master again and sending her tumbling across the ground to the far wall, where here head slammed hard against the stone wall. Her lightsaber winked out as she fell unconscious from her sustained injuries. Attca Namon grimly stood, and turned. Behind her, the other Jedi had regained consciousness. The little green twerp.

"Alone, leave master Marra," stated Terke, drawing out her own lightsaber and powering it up. A bright bolt of violet energy coalesced in front of her.

"Oh please, you're a Jedi who can't even conjugate a sentence properly. Am I supposed to feel threatened?"

But Terke gave her plenty of reason to feel threatened as she sprang forward and up into the air, nearly three times her own height and unleashed a series of quick, powerful attacks that struck in a multitude of places. Had Attca been even a smidgen slower, she'd now be lying on the ground in half a dozen pieces. As it was, she parried each quick stroke with one of her own, blades clashing in mid-air as the light and dark Jedi's fought in a contest of skill and power. Terke seemed to be in at least six places at once. This was the fighting style of the Jedi which compensated for those of shorter reach. It allowed them to leap great distances and strike a multitude of times. Jedi Master Yoda invented the style. And Terke had been an apt pupil.

Still, even Terke was outmatched. Attca Namon had been trained by some of the best Jedi masters who had ever studied the art of saber-dueling; and worse, had studied under the likes of Count Dooku, the most accomplished fencer in the known Galaxy. Terke was, like her master, being beaten back, despite all of her efforts. Attca lashed out with one particularly vicious slice that nearly cost Terke her leg, and instead singed her robes clear off at the knee, making them into a rough sort of skirt. It made her landing rough. Angrily, she reached behind her and tore away the rest, exposing her legs. In a sense, it allowed her greater mobility as well. And she charged back into the fray against the dark Jedi.

Unfortunately, combat was not on Attca's mind. She'd already won this little conflict as far as she was concerned.

Holding aside her lightsaber, she thrust out her hand and, using the power of the Force, grabbed a hold of Terke in mid-air, clutching her at the throat. The Jedi Padawan cursed and struggled, but could find no way to break the hold. Her lightsaber fell from her numb fingers to clatter noisily on the ground.

"Hmmmm... I wonder how long you'll last without air...?" mused Attca aloud, twirling her fingers, allowing Terke to rotate helplessly in mid-air, clutching at her neck to try and shake off the power cutting off her air. Alas, it was hopeless.

"... probably not much longer," remarked Attca, tightening her grip, her eyes narrowing. A vicious smile spread across her face. "And with you two dead... I will ascend to the Sith, and be part of the winning side. And finally be appreciated for my talents."

"Certainly can't have that now, can we?" came a new voice.

Attca whirled around.

There, at the entrance to the temple...

... Jedi Knight Ryuin. Beaten, battered, very tired looking, but holding up his own lightsaber and ready to continue battle. Even against a dark Jedi like Attca.

"What's this? More Jedi filth?" remarked Attca, ignoring Terke and focusing her full attention on her new enemy. Terke dropped to the ground, gasping for breath. She wouldn't be much of a threat. And Marra was still regaining consciousness. Between the three of them, none of them were in any condition to fight. Even with superior numbers, Attca still had the upper hand. But she had to move swiftly. Any further delay could allow one of them to escape, and that would complicate things. She had to stop them. Here and now.

Attca's crimson blade flashed back and forth as she moved in, circling her opponent. But to her surprise, he circled back, golden lightsaber flashing in the air before him as he met Attca's attacks, parrying them as effortlessly as a master. Intrigued, she studied his style, feinting and testing. He responded in kind.

Here, she knew, was a true swordmaster. Very dangerous.

She didn't have much time, and even less for her usual finesse. So she let herself be consumed by rage, fueled by her anger, her disgust, and her hatred of the Jedi Knights. Her eyes blazed like orange-red fire as she allowed her dark rage to fuel her body, making her a conduit for the power of the Dark Side.

But to her surprise, her opponent responded in kind. Not with rage, but with peace. Not with anger, but with serenity. His features became calm as the Force filled him, guided him. His cough eased and vanished. He was one with the essence of the Force. The true essence.

Light vs. Dark.

The two combatants rushed at one another, lightsabers upraised. This would be their final clash.

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"Hyyyaaaaaahhhhh!" roared Attca, lashing out with all the power of the dark side behind her, using the Force to increase the power and speed of her strikes, baring down upon the lone Jedi Knight with all of her hatred in each stroke. Her red lightsaber seemed to be in perhaps nine places at once as she attacked. But curiously enough, each attacked was block, parried, or dodged, and Ryuin countered effortlessly, barely moving except to side-step one particularly vicious downward strike that sliced a line in the ground.

"Fight me, Jedi!"

Ryuin made no reply, regarding her coldly as he parried another of her strikes. She was good, but she was allowing her anger to guide her, carelessly leaving her guard open in too many places. Had he been at full strength himself, he could have cut her down long ago. As it was, he had to save his strength, for he needed all of it simply to hold her off. He needed to buy time for his companions.

Idly he glanced over at the two of them as he dueled the dark Jedi.

Terke Riith was still struggling for breath, still gravely injured from the attack of Attca's strangling hold. But she'd be alright in a minute or two. And Master Marra Henis was starting to regain consciousness, though the dark purple bruise on her temple indicated she had was going to have a nasty headache for a few days.

Just a few more minutes, he thought grimly. Just a few more...

A red blade of energy lashed out past his face. Instinctively he parried, but it had been a feint, as Attca twirled and lashed out in a straight thrust. The blade connected, and penetrated, sliding clear through Ryuin's lung. He gasped, spitting up blood, as the lightsaber sliced clear out his back.

Dark Jedi Attca Namon grinned wickedly, twisting the lightsaber inside of Ryuin's body. Her first Jedi kill. By the Force, it felt so wonderful...

... but then Ryuin's look of shock changed to a rather smug grin, and his free hand dropped down to grab her wrist, holding it firm.

Too late, she saw his trap.

Too late, she heard the igniting of lightsabers behind her.

Ryuin had recognized the feint, and made one himself, purposefully opening his guard. He knew he couldn't win this fight. So he'd trapped her, determined to take down his opponent with him. Emerald and amethyst blades lashed out while Attca was trapped, and she fell forward, minus her head. It rolled onto the ground, where the fire died from her eyes and became dull and green once more.

With her death, the crimson lightsaber deactivated, falling from her nerveless hands to clatter on the ground. Ryuin fell backwards as well, stumbling into a wall, his hands pressed against his stomach now to try and staunch the flow of blood. Terke and Marra rushed to him, Marra knew some healing ways, but alas, the analysis was grim as soon as she saw the wound.

It was fatal.

"Thank you," whispered Terke. "Saved us, you did."

"You would've done the same for me," replied Ryuin, knowing it was true. "Get out of here, both of you... go help the Council. Tell them what happened here. They'll need to know."

Marra nodded lightly, though winced as an afterthought, for even that small motion brought fresh waves of pain to her injured head. "We will report all that has happened. And your sacrifice will be long remembered in the archives of the Jedi," she promised. "As well as in the hearts of two very grateful ones," she added, placing her hand over Ryuin's. Terke did the same.

In that moment, the light faded from hazel eyes, and Ryuin became one with the Force. His body slumped to the ground. With great reverence, the two Jedi laid him on the ground; the lightsaber clasped in his hands, and bid him their final farewell.

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Finding their way out of the underground Sith Temple was far easier that it had been to escape. The corridors were clearer than tunnels, manmade and smooth, and easily followed out. However, from there, things became more difficult as they reached the exit to the caverns and found themselves on the surface once more. The freezing, stormy, snowing surface where most life could not survive.

They'd stolen the dark Jedi's winter garments, but it was only enough for Terke. Being cold-blooded, she needed them far more than her master Marra did. The two trudged together as closely as possible, trying to share them, trying to keep as warm as possible with close proximity and hope it would be enough until they found a way to leave the planet behind.

Ideally, their best plan was to follow Attca's tracks, locate her ship, and use that as an escape route. Unfortunately, her tracks had faded in the snowstorms to all but gentle depressions in the snow by now. There was no way for a normal tracker to find any sort of trail in this blizzard.

Fortunately, Master Marra was no ordinary tracker.

She was a Jedi Master.

Using her same deep, near spiritual connection to the Force that had guided her to the Sith Temple in the first place, she now used the Force to guide her through the billowing white snow. How she wished now she could have use it to provide warmth for her and her companion, but alas, even she had her limits. However, she nearly dropped to her knees and weeped when she saw that, this time, it had been enough. The cool metal siding of Attca's ship came into view on a nearby hillside. It was a short-range fighter marked with the Imperial symbol on the side. Not very big but it would suit the two of them just fine.

And more importantly, it had an internal heating system; a must for most any sort of space-faring craft, unless the species in question flying the ship happened to enjoy the sub-zero temperatures of the cold void of space. So it was the two Jedi ladies eagerly climbed aboard, shut the doors, and turned up the heat to full blast, until they felt like they were in a sauna from all the melting snow at their feet. A feeling they both enjoyed immeasurably.

It almost made them forget the sadness they both felt. Neither had known Ryuin very long, but no one, not even Jedi, could be so very near death and not be touched by it.

A soft beep-beep interrupted the near-silence, and the two of them glanced down at Marra's robes, from which the sound had come. The twi'lek master reached within, drawing out the Jedi transmitter. A communication had been sent out.

"Odd..."

"What is it?" asked Terke, examining the control panels, trying to figure out how to fly the ship. It shouldn't be too hard.

"New transmission from the Jedi Temple on Coruscant," replied Marra. "Stay away at all costs. Do not return home."

A moment of silence followed that.

"What does that mean?"

Marra took a long moment before answering. "It means... that the Temple is likely dangerous... that more clone troopers await Jedi like us there, if we return. The first signal was likely sent out as a trap, to lure us in; any who escaped the Troopers, like you and I did."

"Ryuin, fortunate as us, he was not," she remarked, her ears drooping sadly.

"Then the Republic did this... the Supreme Chancellor gave these orders."

"Involved, the Sith are," replied Terke. "That dark Jedi we faced was proof of it. Working, they are, with the Supreme Chancellor."

"Or perhaps..."

"What?"

"It is too horrible a thought to contemplate," replied Marra.

Silence reigned again after that, as the two of them contemplated their situation. The Jedi order was gone or scattered throughout the Galaxy unable to contact one another. The Republic itself, the one they knew and loved and had fought for so many years, was gone; in spirit if not in name. Democracy was dead. They were being hunted still. And the Galaxy was an empty, dark place with very little light left in it. To say nothing of their recently lost ally Ryuin.

Marra and Terke exchanged a glance, none-too-surprised to see similar thoughts running through each other's heads. But then they allowed themselves to share a smile.

They still had each other, at least.

"What now?" asked Terke quietly, powering up the ship, preparing to launch them into the atmosphere.

"Well we certainly cannot stay here; it will be the death of us. We need to head somewhere remote, somewhere we cannot be found until we receive word from the Jedi again. We'll need to go into hiding for a year or two," she mused aloud. Possibly much more, she thought to herself, but she did not voice this fear.

"What about the Fuu system?" asked Terke. "Supposed to be very tropical, the third planet is, virtually unspoiled. Hide on there, we could, on the islands."

A smile stretched across Marra's violet features. "I always wanted to see a tropical beach."

"Decided, it is then. To Fuu, we shall go," decided Terke, powering up their ship and launching them into the cold void. "Lay low, we shall, unnoticed there..."

"Yes... hopefully all will be well when we return..." said Marra, nodding off. Her head still hurt abysmally. Terke's throat felt the same. They would need time to recover from their injuries.

Time they would have a plenty. For it would be many years before the Empire would fall, before the Jedi could return to power again. Until that day, they would remain scattered, hidden, and watchful. Waiting for the day they could avenge their lost comrades and overthrow the tyranny of the Sith.

Terke Riith and Marra Henis would then be able to emerge back into the light and rejoin the Jedi in rebuilding the Order.

When that day came... they would be ready.

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**Author's Notes:**

And now the events of my substory come to an end, roughly the same time as the end of Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. As promised, identifying the Jedi. Terke and Marra are based off of Comet-hime and her real-life girlfriend. Dark Jedi Attca is based off of Dragonblond. The Fuu system is completely made up, there's no former record of it from any Star Wars material I've ever read. Anywhere. Ever.

Blood-Debt: Grammatical/spelling errors. Expect them in my work. I use word. Hope you enjoyed the final chapter.

DarkKnight92: Yeah, poor Aayla. So Luminara died then? Wow... poor Jedi. What about Shaak Ti? Or is her fate unrevealed and going to be the entire point of your story with the Padawan. I eagerly await.

Ultimate R-Man: Truthfully the not-yet-a-Sith Dark Jedi was inspired by Asajj Ventriss from the Clone Wars series. Your spider-senses seem to be most faithful, Ryuin was indeed the only one to go. You must really like my work.

Trinity Day: Thank you, I do try.

Brutal2003: I don't generally read or write for it either, but I caught the Episode III bug going around, with fan artists making themselves into Sith and Jedi. So this is my feeble attempt. It worked though.

Elrohirthewriter: I honestly don't know if Yoda is cold-blooded or not... he could be, he looks vaguely reptilian. But it made for some good banter between Jedi, so I included it. Hope you enjoyed the rest of the story.

Trecebo: Some die, some live, some grow and move on, some become one with the Force. Hope you enjoyed what happened. And yeah, Dark Jedi's are really annoying, aren't they? So arrogant.

Ray1: The man single-handedly manipulated events to take over the entire frickin' galaxy. Of course he'd be busy! Gotta give him credit for all he accomplished.


	4. IV

Many years passed. An Empire arose over the ashes of the old Republic. The Jedi became all but extinct, hiding out in the outer rim territories in remote locations. Tatooine. Dagobah. Fuu. They hid away from the clutches of the Emperor Sidisous and his new, vast armies of Storm Troopers. They hid away from his apprentice, the malevolent and powerful Darth Vader. They hid, they waited, they watched. Like the Sith had for millennia, they worked in secret to bring about the downfall of the Empire and the Return of the Jedi.

And in the end, after many long years, they were successful.

Emperor Sidious was dead, Darth Vader was defeated, the Rebel Alliance had blown up their Death star and the Empire had collapsed. Throughout the known universe, people were cheering as they heard the news. People were celebrating in the streets, in their homes. The greatest celebration was on Endor, where the Rebels were celebrating on into the night with their newfound allies the Ewoks. But it was echoed throughout all of known space.

Faraway in the Fuu system, there was another, quieter sort of celebration being shared on one of the remote islands of the third planet. The third planet was a tropical paradise, virtually unspoiled. A few resorts had been set up but they were most expensive, and located primarily on the larger islands. Some of the smaller ones barely even could be picked up on the radar. And this was where we found our quiet little celebration.

Terke Riith looked much the same as she had when she'd been battling Clone Troopers, nearly three decades earlier. Her skin was still scaley, drawn tight over strong and agile muscles, and her eyes were bright and piercing. Her hair didn't have so much as a hint of gray. Then again, her species could live up to and including a millennia, so it was hardly surprising a few measly decades hadn't changed her. By contrast, Marra Henis was showing a slight slowing of limbs, and her bright purple skin was faded. It was just starting to develop faint wrinkles, mostly around the corners of her eyes and mouth, evidence of past smiles. Still, any who mistook this appearance of middle-aged twi'lek as a sign of weakness would quickly come to regret it. She was still as strong and fast as women half her age. The two former Jedi (and still Jedi, in a sense) had long ago discarded their heavy robes (which would have marked them as Jedi to some) (and were also impractical on a Tropical planet) and were dressed in clothes more commonly found on the third planet of the Fuu system. Terke was wearing a rather loose tunic and trousers, her clawed toes and feet bare. Marra was arrayed in a much more revealing pair of leather strips that were somewhat common amongst the twi'lek people, displaying that she still had the body of a young woman despite her advancing years. Her long tendrils were drawn back and bound by strips of cloth.

The two of them had set up a shelter on one of the outlying islands, keeping their use of modern technology to a minimum. Power packs were hard to come by these days anyway, unless they were stolen. They lived as hermits, having built their shelter out of fallen tree branches and palm tree leaves. It was only big enough for both of them, really, so they spent most of their time outside. Honing their skills and Jedi powers.

"Good news there is," came Terke, bounding up and over the rocks surrounding their makeshift shelter. Marra smiled as she drew closer, resting underneath the overhanging branches they'd set up as a rooftop. "What is it, Terke?" she asked quietly.

"Fallen, the Empire has!" she all but squealed in joy, waving her short arms animatedly. "I saw the news on the holonet earlier! Fallen, it has! Won, we have!"

A broad smile spread across Marra's features. "That is wonderful news."

Terke stopped, pausing in mid-sentence, blinking her large yellow eyes up at her former master. She'd long since become something of a master herself. "Marra? Sound very happy, you do not."

"I would be far happier had I done something to contribute to the Empire's downfall," she stated quietly, unfolding herself from her meditative stance and swinging her legs over the side of their shelter.

"Unwise it is, to oppose a flowing heat storm," quoted Terke with a smile. "Taught me that, my Jedi Master did."

Marra laughed at that, a deep-throated chuckle that had not been heard in many years. Not since before the days before the Clone Wars had begun, really. She'd been so much more quieter these days. They both had. Having their lives turned upside down, forced into exile, only able to rely upon one another for comfort. Well, it was no surprise it had put a strain on their happy smiles. But now they were back.

"But we've much to do now," said Marra. "Tell me everything you've learned."

And she did.

Master Marra nodded thoughtfully, digesting all of this information. Not all of it came entirely as a surprise. Both of them had been keeping up-to-date on the conflict between the Empire and the Rebellion for some time now. Both over the holonet (Terke would sneak into the resorts, posing as a tourist), and through the mystic vibrations of the Force. They'd sensed the end of first Obi-Wan Kenobi, and then Yoda. Terke had been particularly devastated, the elderly Jedi had been like a father to her. The re-emergence of a Skywalker Jedi (Vader's son, no less), the on-going war effort, the destruction of the first death star and now the second. They'd kept in tune with the universe, even if it had been content to ignore them.

"Now it is time," came a voice. A new voice.

Marra and Terke's heads snapped up. Long years of hiding from Storm Troopers, despite living on a peaceful outer rim planet, had given them both lightning reflexes. Their hands slapped to their sides instantly, three and five-fingered hands coiling around lightsabers that had long gone unused (unless they needed to clear a path through the jungle).

However, they instantly relaxed. They were in the presence of an ally, not an enemy.

Jedi Knight Ryuin had also changed much over the past few years. Physically, he resembled the dark-haired, bearded young human he had been during his last days on Ilum. Now, his image was slightly distorted, faded, and just past him (through him, even) the background was clearly visible. A glowing aura of blue surrounded his frame as he made his way down the hillside to join the two of them, smiling.

"Marra... Terke... you're looking well," he said, any bitterness or anger gone from his voice. Now he was far calmer. Becoming one with the Force had remarkably improved him.

"Ryuin..." breathed Terke, as always in awe whenever she witnessed the return of their comrade. He had been keeping an eye on them, so to speak, for some time. Guiding them. Cautioning them that now was not the right time to attack the Empire. That they should wait.

"The Sith are vanquished," he said. "Love has prevailed over hatred. Light has prevailed over darkness."

"Praise the Force," intoned Marra, breathing a grateful sigh.

"But this is only a new beginning," said Ryuin, folding his arms within the sleeves of his Jedi robes. "The Rebels are rebuilding, restoring the old Republic... calling it, appropriately enough, the NEW Republic," he added with a playful smirk. "And Luke is attempting to rebuild the Jedi. He will need your assistance in this matter. You may find much has changed in the past few years."

"Doesn't matter," replied Marra without hesitation. "We've sat on the sidelines long enough. Now it is high time we did something with our gifts."

"Agree, I do," said Terke, bobbing her head up and down.

Ryuin smiled, his image fading. "The Force be with you, my old friends..." he intoned, his image vanishing in the ocean breeze as the two Jedi watched.

Little more needed to be said. The two of them quickly dismantled their home, taking down that which had shared for the past decade or two, which they had lovingly crafted as a place they could find comfort and solace. They took it all down, tore it down and returned it to nature, where it belonged. They gathered their things. Their robes and, more importantly, their lightsabers, which still functioned. Bright emerald and amethyst beams lit up as they lightly clanged them together in a silent vow. To restore the Jedi to their former glory.

They had a long road ahead of them...

... but the Force would always be with them.

>

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

>

**Author's Notes:**

And after so many years (must have been at least 30, considering how old Luke is at the end of Return of the Jedi) Marra and Terke are back for so more fun. And Ryuin as well, though he gets the Anakin/Obi-Wan/Yoda-merged-with-the-Force deal. I hadn't originally planned to write this epilogue, but I figured what the heck. I hate ending on sad endings. Now we get a happy ending! Well, for everyone but Attca Namon, that is. The holonet, though seemingly made up, was referenced often in the "Revenge of the Sith" book, and seems to fit a mixture of cable television and the internet in the Star Wars universe. The comment about twi'leks and heat storms is actually a common saying amongst the people, their planet is apparently often swept by them.

Trecebo: I hadn't originally planned on it, but as I said, I hate sad endings. Now we see them all again, reunited. Isn't it sweet?

Ray1: Apparently it's not yet over. The fans have spoken.

DarkKnight92: Not sure yet.

JLA2Snoopy: Their inspiration insisted upon being twi'lek and female Yoda, respectively. I was reluctant, since I don't know the name of Yoda's species, but it seems to have worked out. And no, unlikely to do sequels, but here's an epilogue for you.

Ultimate R-Man: That is the best compliment I could possibly get, since I'm a film major. Noble sacrifices rule indeed.


End file.
